Hello All

We have a problem developing with neighbours in a tenement building in Scotland. Our neighbours have taken to leaving shoes outside their flat door in the communal area. The shoes are right outside our flat door (top storey), our two doors being in a corner at 90 degrees to each other. We put a note through and asked them politely not to leave shoes in this communal area. This did not go down well and the shoes remain. Am I correct in thinking that this is in fact against the law since the communal area is a fire escape route and should not have anything placed in it that may burn/ cause a trip hazard? If so should I report it to the police or fire brigade?

Thanks for any advice.

Have you tried talking to them, I know its a novel idea.

If that doesn’t work its definitely 999 and fire and police.

Wee in them

Well I didn’t want to go into the details but the bloke from next door had a real go at the woman that I share with and left her almost in tears. An aggressive type one might say, so I do not wish to ‘talk’ as I feel things may quickly escalate.

Or (unless they stink) worry about more important things in life

Steal one of each. Deny everything.

If so should I report it to the police or fire brigade?

Or replace each left shoe with an identical one, two sizes too small. Change the labels.

Yup call your local Fire station* shoes in communal area are well known for being worst things for burning.

Do you have fire detection in the communal area?
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* the laughter you hear will have nothing to do with your call, they are just happy at work.

Am I correct in thinking that this is in fact against the law since the communal area is a fire escape route and should not have anything placed in it that may burn/ cause a trip hazard

Are the shoes actually causing a problem or is this just a petty annoyance that’s eating away at you? Are you sitting in your flat stewing with anger at the thought of those shoes sitting in the close, mocking you relentlessly?

Houns if they hadn’t been such arses about it I would not be pursuing this line of action. No one wants to walk out of their front door to 4 pairs of shoes directly in their line of step. If it had been only one pair I wouldn’t have minded. Plus the neighbour’s very aggressive response has me intent on showing him the difference between right and wrong.

Set them on fire, then call the fire brigade 8)

Or every time you exit your flat, hoof them all down the stairs.

So you are sure you are right and they are wrong.

Accidentally spill something on top of them. Imagine you skimped on the posh brand of bin bags one week when you had a week old, rotten greasy remains of a roast chicken dripping out. That would be awful.

Dig a Punji trap on their step

I can’t believe nobody has suggested weeing in them yet

Just move them out of the way of your door so they aren’t a trip hazard. then when you see your neighbour let him know you’ll keep moving them out of the way of your door so you don’t trip.
then move on.
though if there is a fair at least you won’t have to worry about finding a pair of shoes in the dark as you’ll know where they’ll be 😆

Throw them down the stair well.

I’m going to need to see a photo of the area/shoes.

Friends we’ve visited in flats seem to do the same.

Bruneep – no I am not 100% sure that’s why I am asking on here…..

third post.

Mikewsmith – not sure I understand, I am not sharing?

Oh here we go, another “You’re so highly strung and we’d all be relaxed about neighbours doing ANYTHING they want” thread! 😆 Brilliant. Drugs, cars, kids, shit, now shoes the STW massive are the most tolerant neighbours in the world!
Hilarious.
mikeysmith’s post particularly uncalled for.

Pictures please. ASAP. Tasselled loafers, rigger boots, kitten heels?

Drugs, cars, kids, shit, now shoes

Good night out in Burnley, that.

I am actually finding this all quite amusing as I am the most laid back person to walk the planet. Our neighbour’s super aggressive response to a polite note has me far more irked than the shoes.

In all my 25yrs in FS I’ve never had to enforce shoes outside a property as fire hazard.

The chap who was storing 50ltrs of petrol on his landing was a different matter

Fire detection/emergency lighting in the communal area will give you sufficient time to exit the building should you need to without the shoes causing you any difficulties.

Or every time you exit your flat, hoof them all down the stairs.

If they’re genuinely a trip hazard (which seems unlikely if you know they’re there) then it seems plausible that you might accidentally “trip” over them. Repeatedly.

LOL at martinhutch first post…..quality! 😀

cause a trip hazard?

Do your neighbours look like this?

aggressive response to a polite note

I guess that might be part of the problem. A good way to wind anyone up is with a “polite note” through a door.

I’d just kick them every time I walked out the door.

Sling a lighted match in the shoes, then see if they’re a fire hazard.

A good way to wind anyone up is with a “polite note” through a door.

Yeah, I always found
“Dear cock,
Move your **** shoes or die
love,
Neighbour”
works best

Slug/toe interface is always a pleasureable sensation.

Slug/toe interface is always a pleasureable sensation.

Ace idea! Had OP done this instead of the note they’d probably have moved all the shoes inside without prompting! Would probably look a bit obvious now though…

weirdo 😯

With hindsight having a chat rather than putting a note through the door would have been far better. OK so the bloke in the next flat collared the lady I share with on the top floor outside our flat. He then shouted at her and followed her all the way down the stairs (3 floors), with arms raised I may add, followed her out into the street still having a go, and then when a car appeared to collect my flatmate he suddenly disappeared back inside. If it was up to me I would happily deal with it in ‘other ways’ but it is not worth going down that route.

If he’s being an ar5e about it and you’re willing to escalate, then crack on

– remove laces
– remove insoles
– remove one shoe
– remove the whole pair
– remove and replace with comedy replacement – pink fluffy slippers

put them on freecycle. Either give your buzzer as contact if you want them gone or his buzzer if you just want to annoy him. Keep listing them until he gets the message.

remove and replace with comedy replacement – pink fluffy slippers

This !
Do this!

If it was up to me I would happily deal with it in ‘other ways’

Tell him to move em or you’ll get mikewsmith round.